Children's Home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 1 Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 14 children with learning difficulties, sensory impairment, autism spectrum disorder and/or challenging behaviours. Young people may stay beyond the age of 18 to complete their education.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is split into five separate houses, one of which is used for short breaks. Four houses can accommodate up to three children in each house. One house can accommodate up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is situated on the same site as a special school. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2023 Full Good 31/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, nine children were living at the home and one child was having a short break.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children were seen and their interactions were observed. Some children shared their views about what it is like to live at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have formed positive relationships with staff, and staff know the children well. Staff genuinely care. They are kind, supportive and nothing is too much trouble.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Through the care and nurture of staff, who work consistently with individual children, children have become more settled, and many have made significant progress. For some, the progress has been transformational. For example, one child, who previously struggled to go out in the community and socialise with others, now goes out and about frequently and has been on holiday. They are socialising with other children and developing their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped by staff to understand difference through activities and events. However, staff have not considered one child’s culture or how they will help that child to explore what it means to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to be as independent as possible. They help children to develop their personal skills and learn how to carry out tasks such as making drinks and simple meals, doing their washing and vacuuming.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proficient in supporting children’s communication. They use a variety of child- specific resources. Staff also use their knowledge of children to notice the little ways a child communicates. However, staff are yet to devise effective ways for children to have input into their care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to take part in a variety of activities and experiences whether they live at the home or visit as part of a short break. For some children, these experiences have been new and not something they have been able to do previously, such as going to the zoo, shopping and going on holiday.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves to and from the home are well planned. When children struggle in a particular house, consideration is made to move them to another house. This is done in consultation with the child’s family and placing authority. For one child, this move has been positive, and they are now more settled and happier.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have created a homely environment that is personalised to the children’s individual tastes. Despite all efforts to keep the home clean, there are some ongoing issues with condensation in bathrooms and unpleasant odours in some areas of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 4 The children living at the home attend the organisation’s school that is on the same site. There are positive relationships between education staff and the home. All share relevant information, which supports consistency across the provisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff from the home support children who need extra help in school. This gives consistency and continuity and enables children to have good attendance and maintain their education placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents said that communication between the home and families has improved. They value the weekly updates and photos. This keeps them up to date with what their child is doing.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children are kept safe at this home due to high staffing levels and by staff who know them well.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff’s knowledge of children means that they can pre-empt and defuse situations quickly. Physical intervention is only used when necessary to keep children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children do not go missing from the home. Staff have developed plans which clearly set out the action they need to take should this occur.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are aware of their responsibility to keep children safe. They are knowledgeable about how to raise concerns, and with whom, which includes concerns raised by children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When concerns are raised, the manager takes prompt action in reporting to those who need to know and investigates the concerns as required. When shortfalls are found, staff receive additional learning and training so that practice is at the standard expected.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children have not made any complaints. Staff have yet to find creative ways which help children who may not understand or be able to make complaints using the home’s current complaints process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the management of the home. This has not had a detrimental impact on the children or staff. Staff retention and positivity have improved, and children are progressing well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a variety of monitoring systems which help him to check the progress of children at the home. This monitoring is not fully effective as shortfalls were found and some information in records is incorrect or lacks detail staff may need. For example, a child’s legal status is wrong, there is no clear written explanation of how children’s syndromes or disabilities affect them, some analyses of incidents are confusing, with no Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 5 clear explanation about how to improve care for children. Written information shared with the inspectors is not fully accurate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When concerns have been raised with managers about staff practice, managers have not always used probing questions to fully satisfy themselves that there are no shortfalls in staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are well supported by managers. Staff receive regular supervision, a robust induction and comprehensive training to enable them to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good multi-agency working. Managers work well with other professionals to develop children’s plans and support staff’s learning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that children’s records are accurate and contain all the information needed. Managers must show professional curiosity and ask probing questions when investigating concerns. 15 November 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide care that meets each child’s needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account of the child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. Specifically, staff should help children to explore and understand their culture. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing environment that meets children’s needs. The home must comply with relevant health and safety legislation, such as alarms and food hygiene. However, in doing so, it should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This specifically relates to ensuring that unpleasant odours are eliminated. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 7  The registered person should ensure that children who cannot or choose not to verbalise can have their views, wishes and feelings heard and respected in the same way as other children. Specifically, the registered person should find creative ways for children to express their views about their care and make complaints. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.24)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

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Inspectors

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2677057 9 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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